Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Get Gamm – Week Five…Game time. Home teams are 28-10 (.737) but there are a few tough home contests on the slate this week, starting with Michigan State’s visit to Illinois. Ohio State goes on the road twice this week and has a better than average shot at emerging unscathed. Perhaps the biggest road battle takes place Wednesday when white hot Wisconsin invades Bloomington looking to keep an NCAA best 17-game win streak going…

For players and coaches, there are no such things as moral victories. But from this angle, Michigan State had one at Ohio State. Wins and losses are all that ultimately matter of course, but there is something to be said for the confidence a team can gain in a “moral victory.” The Spartans are finally starting to get healthy while Illinois continues to be bitten by the injury bug. State has lost the last three in Champaign by an average of 21 and may not have enough gas in the tank to get a huge road win. This will make for classic TV, but Illinois finds its range from three and nips MSU late. Illinois 68 – Michigan State 66.

Another very intriguing game on tap this week is set to tip Wednesday night in West Lafayette. Ohio State escaped with a win over Michigan State on Saturday and goes to face a suddenly resurgent Purdue squad. The key for the Boilermakers is playing on Keady Court because frankly, the gold and black are horrid on the road (and have been for a few years). Painter’s squad spanked the Illini on Saturday and will hope to ride that momentum to a big win over OSU. I’m not sure Purdue has enough horses inside to keep Greg Oden at bay, but I’m going with the upset anyway. Purdue 70 – Ohio State 67.

Much like Purdue, Indiana is a totally different team at home than on the road. IU isn’t as bad as their rival away from Assembly Hall but I digress. This is arguably the Hoosiers’ biggest game of the season. A shot at the Badgers at home. The cream and crimson are mighty efficient offensively in games played in Bloomington and folks, no one goes unbeaten in the Big Ten. Indiana pulls off an upset along the lines of the last second win over then number one Michigan State back in 2001. Indiana 71 – Wisconsin 69.

Uh, um, okay, well… there isn’t much to say about a rematch of cellar dwelling Northwestern and Minnesota. So, that’s all I have to say about that (Forrest Gump Reference). Northwestern 56 – Minnesota 52.

Looking for a big time early-ish season Bubble game? Look no further than Iowa’s visit to Michigan. Iowa is no where near the bubble and really needs to win the Big Ten Tournament to go dancing. However, Michigan is firmly in the vicinity of the bubble and absolutely must get back on track after an abysmal week on the road. A win here keeps Michigan’s head afloat and gives them another “decent” feather in their NCAA Hopes cap. A loss here and you can ready the “Fire Tommy” ammo. But alas, a temporary reprieve … Michigan 67 – Iowa 62.

When Purdue travels to State College to take on the desperate Nittany Lions on Saturday, there is an awful lot on the line. If Purdue can manage to prove me right and beat OSU, this would be a good opportunity to win a road game and get in the vicinity of the proverbial bubble. The Boilers handled Penn State for about 30 minutes in their first meeting, before a late flurry almost carried the Nits to a road win. Penn State is the enigma of the Big Ten. Plenty of talent, a good venue, above average coach and more but no ability to get over the hump. Purdue has lost something like 28 straight on the road. Will that end? Toss a coin … Purdue 74 – Penn State 70.

In January, Indiana held on to beat a game Iowa squad after handling them for the better part of 35 minutes. However, this one is at Carver Hawkeye and the black and gold are playing for their NIT lives. Iowa has been close on a lot of occasions and exacts some revenge in this one. Iowa 65 – Indiana 60.

Northwestern always gives Wisconsin a battle… in Evanston. The Badgers will be ready to jump start a new win streak after falling to Indiana. Wisconsin 70 – Northwestern 55.

Anyone who saw the fantastic game between Michigan State and Ohio State last Saturday night will be tuning in for this rematch. MSU might have done the best job to date in keeping Connoly and Oden at bay – as best as possible anyway. The key will be the start. If the Spartans can put together good shooting for the entire game to go with the suffocating defense and strong glass work, revenge will be had. It’ll be another instant classic. Michigan State 68 – Ohio State 65.

Minnesota is just plain out-numbered by most around the league. There is some skill there but even a beat up Illinois team should be able to handle the Golden Gophers. Illinois 71 – Minnesota 56. NCAA Tournament Talk...With all of the bracket banter starting to heat up, here is my current take on in/bubble/out for the Big Ten.

Monday, January 29, 2007

Grind time…It’s that time of year in college basketball, particularly in a conference like the Big Ten. I like to call it grind time. To use a golf analogy, it’s like playing in tournaments six straight weeks. Sometimes in that stretch, you’ll have you “A” game. At other times, you’ll need to work and “grind” to stay afloat. That’s where we are with conference play in the Big Ten.

True, Wisconsin and Ohio State are starting to pull away a bit, as expected, but don’t discount Indiana or even Michigan State from having a major say in where this race goes. The Hoosiers get the Badgers this week; Michigan State gets Wisconsin twice and another shot at the Buckeyes. When push comes to shove, the Badgers will come out on top followed by Ohio State but how they fare in the grind will determine the next two or three teams, and who goes dancing versus who stays home.

Speaking of dancing, it gets earlier every year, but ESPN.com’s Joe Lunardi is producing a weekly bracket now. His latest has four Big Ten teams in. Wisconsin and Ohio State are locks, playing for the conference title and a possible number one seed. Indiana and Michigan State are firmly in right now, barring any catastrophes. The teams that can play their way off the bubble are Illinois, Purdue and Michigan. Most likely to do so is Illinois. Purdue may, but hasn’t won on the road in an age and needs to do that to get serious consideration. And Michigan is as up and down in conference play as a Cedar Point thrill ride.

It should be another interesting week in league play. Home teams are now 28-10 (.737) after an 8-2 week. Michigan State gets another shot at the scarlet and gray, but not before another brutal road trip – this time to Champaign. Wisconsin has a big test in Bloomington. Michigan finally gets to go home to the friendly confines of Crisler Arena…

Team of the week…As I’ve been saying for the last few weeks, it’s tough to pick against Wisconsin until they lose. But I have to give some well deserved credit to Purdue this go around. The Boilers had a week to stew over a big loss at Michigan and used it to dismantle the Illini. Purdue put such a first half blitz on Illinois that the Fighting Illini had no chance to come back.

On the rise…Indiana and Michigan State are still right in that second tier of teams. Both went 1-1 last week with tough road losses, but in particular, MSU showed me something with the near miraculous come back over Ohio State in Columbus.

In need of some “Ws”…Penn State. This team has the offense, the horses and even the coach to be closer to a .500 team in the Big Ten. Why it can’t play defense worth a you-know-what is the question. The Nits are 1-6 in conference play and 10-10 overall and are in jeopardy of missing the postseason all together.

Player of the Week…BigTen.org gave its honors to Greg Oden and Alando Tucker for the week, something that I have a hard time arguing against. However, I wonder, Spartan bias aside, why Drew Neitzel doesn’t also get thrown in the mix? He only single-handedly brought Michigan State back from a 20-point halftime deficit with an amazing 29-point (24 in the second half) effort at Ohio State. So, I’m calling it a three-way honor this time around.

Get Gamm Basketball StandingsPUFan edged out Buckeye Nation and Dan Meyer on the tiebreaker this week for top honors in the contest. PUFan, get me your thoughts by Tuesday at noon for inclusion on the home page.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Get Gamm - Week Four… Home teams sputtered a bit last week (5-4) and are now 20-8 (.714) this Big Ten season. That cost a few in the Get Gamm standings, but alas, a new week is upon us. There are some solid games that will mean a lot in the standings and as we look towards March Madness, which is creeping up faster than we think.

A big game to start off the week in the Big Ten. A red hot Indiana squad travels to Champaign to take on a desperate Illinois team. The Fighting Illini lost a tough one to Wisconsin over the weekend, their third loss at home this season. To put it in perspective, they hadn’t lost more than one at home this century! Indiana is right in the thick of the conference race and getting better with each game. Illinois needs a win in a big game to get back on track as far as the NCAA Tournament is concerned. I don’t see the Illini losing another one at home. Illinois 74 – Indiana 71.

Ask Tom Izzo and he’ll tell you after this one, Michigan State plays as tough a slate as anyone in the nation. Minnesota is the resident doormat in the league this year and while State cannot look past the Gophers, this is the last easy game on the schedule. In an eight day span following this game, the Spartans play Ohio State and Illinois on the road and the Buckeyes back at home. Get while the gettin’s good… Michigan State 75 – Minnesota 59.

A HUGE game for Michigan and an opportunity to make a statement to the league is at hand when the Wolverines head to Madison to take on the white hot Badgers. Wisconsin won’t waltz through the league unbeaten, but losing in the Kohl Center is a rarity. Try this one on for size – the only team in the Big Ten to beat Bo Ryan and his squad at home is Illinois – twice. The streak lives. Wisconsin 71 – Michigan 62.

Northwestern gets a return trip a week after the beating it took in Columbus. This is the sort of place that can trip up a young team like Ohio State. Then again, after watching the systematic dismantling of the Wildcats at Value City Arena, there is little chance the home court edge means a thing in this game. Ohio State 75 – Northwestern 57.

Penn State and Iowa are two teams in need of victories. Iowa has dropped three of the last four and Penn State is coming off a home whipping by Michigan State. Both teams are likely battling to stay above .500 overall for the season and come March, these are the games that determine if you make the NIT or stay home. I like the home court edge at Carver Hawkeye. Iowa 69 – Penn State 65.

As if the trip to Mad-town wasn’t enough, the maize and blue follow it up with a trek to Bloomington. Indiana will be stinging after a tough loss at Illinois and will take it out on a Michigan team that the Hoosiers have owned at Assembly Hall of late. Indiana 78 – Michigan 65.

Penn State stays on the road with a trip to Williams Arena to take on Minnesota. The Gophers hammered Purdue at home but got spanked by Northwestern on the same floor. Penn State has a solid starting five and will get some wins this year. For the second time this week, the home advantage doesn’t hold up. Penn State 67 – Minnesota 60.

A big rivalry game is on tap when the Illini take to the road to face the Boilermakers. Purdue has been disappointing to me so far in conference play. Then again, Illinois is right there too. This game has enormous long term implications. Home teams cannot afford to lose these games and make the Big Dance. Road teams that can steal big wins in tough arenas peak the interest of the selection committee. In an overtime thriller, Purdue uses a week of rest to its advantage and takes out Illinois. Purdue 79 – Illinois 77 (OT).

Michigan State and Ohio State has been a good battle over the past several years and this one is shaping up to be more of the same. The Buckeyes are young but extremely talented. Michigan State might have the best shot at slowing Greg Oden of any team, if only because the Spartans have four big bodies to rotate on the super frosh. This is the type of game where the backcourt can wear out for the Spartans. Walton and Neitzel give it all they have but the OSU depth there is the difference. Ohio State 68 – Michigan State 63.

Don’t laugh but this might be the best shot at a season making win Iowa has. Wisconsin comes to town riding high and looking to extend a school record win streak. Like I’ve said, the Badgers might be the class of the league, but they will not go 16-0. This is as likely a spot to lose as any. Iowa pulls off the shocking upset and the fans clamoring for an Alford exit quiet down for at least a day. Iowa 66 – Wisconsin 65.

Monday, January 22, 2007

Cream rising to the top… The cream is rising to the top in the Big Ten. Wisconsin and Ohio State are the class of the league, with Indiana nipping at their heals. Michigan has a chance to prove whether or not it belongs with a huge week that entails road trips to Madison and Bloomington. Michigan State is on a little roll but after a midweek visit from Minnesota, the Spartans play Ohio State twice in a week with Illinois sandwiched in between. Home teams sputtered a bit more last week (5-4) and are now 20-8 (.714) this Big Ten season.

On another level, the cream rose to the top in the NFL over the weekend when the Bears rolled the Saints and the Colts finally shook the gorilla that was the Patriots from their backs. Should make for a fun to watch Super Bowl with many story lines. I was growing up in Indiana, a Bears fan, when the Colts moved in on the sly from Baltimore. This was my pick for the Super Bowl when the playoffs started. Indy 27 – Chicago 24 – Vinateri does it again!

Team of the week…Wisconsin just keeps taking the best shots of its opponents and just keeps on winning. Last week it was a hard fought win at home over a game Purdue squad, followed by a battle in Champaign. Tough to pick against UW until they cool off, and I just don’t see that happening anytime soon.

On the rise…Michigan and Michigan State. The Wolverines are a solid 4-1 right now, but have had the benefit of three of the first five at home. Michigan State has won three straight after a tough start (0-2).

In need of some “Ws”…Minnesota. The Golden Gophers got taken to the woodshed – twice – at home last week, including a loss to previously winless in the Big Ten Northwestern.

Player of the Week…It’s always tough to argue against the pick from BigTen.org (this week it was D.J. White) but I’m going to go with the 28-point, 5 assist, 1 turnover performance of Drew Neitzel in what was a near perfect road win for the Spartans (Marquise Gray and Goran Suton also combined to shoot 13 of 14).

Get Gamm – Week Three…Apparently something happened when I thought I posted this last week! My bad. Recap is coming later, along with this week's picks.

Another big week (when aren’t they huge) in Big Ten basketball. Key contests pit Indiana and Iowa –- each with one loss –- head to head; Purdue at Wisconsin and then Michigan in an effort to stay in the race for third (isn’t it a forgone conclusion that Wisconsin and Ohio State will fight it out for the title?); and two big games for a 1-3 Illinois squad in dire need of some love.

Indiana is riding a nifty little three game win streak after a tough opening road battle at Ohio State. At this point, the Hoosiers are pretty clearly the third best team in the conference. In order to stay there, they need big wins in tough games. Iowa will need a big night from Huluska to win this game. Home teams are 15-4 and will move to 16-4 with an Indiana win in overtime. Indiana 68 – Iowa 67.

Have I mentioned that winning on the road is no picnic in this league? Illinois gets one of those rare shots as a road team when the struggling Illini travel to Minnesota to take on the Golden Gophers. Minnesota is the only team in the Big Ten with an overall losing record and currently sits at 1-2 in league play. In reality, the Gophers are just what the doctor ordered for Illinois, who blew an 11-point halftime lead at Michigan State on Sunday and have fought the injury bug all season long. Minnesota beat Purdue soundly at home, but my money is on Illinois in this one. Illinois 74 – Minnesota 63.

Purdue is the yo-yo team in the Big Ten, up then down, up then down. The Boilermakers got hammered to start conference play, held on to beat Penn State, got blasted at rival Indiana and then pasted Michigan at home. Next up, a trip to the Kohl Center. Purdue can stay with Wisconsin but needs to be nearly flawless. Thing is, the Badgers are the team that drives others crazy and wills opponents into mistakes. Wisconsin 70 – Purdue 58.

Penn State is probably the best one win team in the conference, with apologies to Illinois. The Nittany Lions almost stole a win at Purdue and fought tough at home against Indiana. Michigan got beaten up at Purdue and might have just enough doubt to allow Penn State to pull off a rare road win. On second thought… Michigan 81 – Penn State 67.

This may sound funny, but the mid-week Game of the Week occurs in Columbus where the 0-4 Wildcats take on the young and hungry Buckeyes. Northwestern may look like your local pick-up team of marketing managers, doctors and lawyers, but they know how to defend, take care of the ball and frustrate the heck out of you with their Princeton offense. This is actually a nice test for a young Ohio State squad. The Buckeyes learn some patience on the fly and survive an upset bid – Ohio State 66 – Northwestern 61.

In one of those typical Big Ten scheduling quirks, Purdue faces the same team it beat up on a week ago Saturday, but this time away from the friendly confines of Keady Court. Michigan will have payback in mind, but Purdue is a lot better than the past few seasons. In what should be a great game, Michigan returns the favor and holds serve at Crisler. Michigan 72 – Purdue 69.

Do you think the Orange Krush will be worked up to a frenzy with Wisconsin coming to town? It is must win time for the Illini and what better a way to get on track than beating the best team in the conference? Wisconsin isn’t going to run the table and Illinois is going to be one of their tougher remaining road battles (aside from trips to OSU and MSU). Illinois is fighting for its life and wins in a thriller. Illinois 67 – Wisconsin 65.

Northwestern travels from Columbus to Minneapolis in search of a Big Ten win. These teams are evenly matched, which means it comes down to the home court edge. The fans might not be rocking the Barn for this one, but something about that place is creepy. Minnesota keeps NU winless. Minnesota 64 – Northwestern 61.

A much needed week to rest and practice as a full unit should pay off for the Spartans this week. Penn State is no picnic with an ever improving line-up of battlers. The one thing the Nits are missing, however, is a true home court edge. There has never been one in the Bryce Jordan and that might be the thing that is keeping Penn State from pulling out of the cellar and becoming at least a middle tier team in the Big Ten. Nothing will come easy for MSU this season, but this will be a big road win when the Spartans look back in March. Michigan State 60 – Penn State 55.

We go outside of the conference for the Game of the Week in the Big Ten. IU pays a visit to the East Coast in what should be a great game to watch. The Huskies are young and rather up and down of late. Indiana is finally starting to play defense the way Coach Sampson likes it to be played. D.J. White has a huge game and the Hoosiers get a very important RPI win. Indiana 73 – Connecticut 68.

The Saturday night game in the Big Ten often goes overlooked for some reason, but this could be another good test for Ohio State and certainly will be for Iowa. As a player or coach and certainly as a fan, I have to say that the night game on Saturday is a tough one to play. You sit around all day watching ball and itching to play. That gives a huge edge to the home team, in this case the Buckeyes. Ohio State pulls even with Wisconsin thanks to the Illini. Ohio State 74 – Iowa 65.

Monday, January 15, 2007

Looking back, looking forward and final football thoughts…It was another good week for the home teams in Big Ten basketball. There were nine conference games contested with the home team winning seven of them. That runs the home court edge to 15-4 this season, a win percentage of .789. Toss in a nifty home win for young Ohio State over cross-over foe Tennessee and the home team again won 80-percent of the time last week.

Looking ahead, there are some key match-ups in conference play. Purdue hits the road for Madison hoping to unseat the Badgers from their perch atop the conference standings. Four teams sit one game behind Wisconsin and a few of them battle when Iowa travels to Indiana and then the Hawkeyes trek to Columbus to take on Ohio State. The standings could have some major changes come next week as we are now settling in for the long haul.

Finally, some parting football thoughts. The All-Star tour has ensued, but more notably the time for juniors to declare for the draft is upon us. National runner-up Ohio State lost three major underclassman game breakers in Ginn, Gonzalez and Pittman. Most other teams seem to be holding onto their stars heading into spring football, though Michigan lost defensive stud Alan Branch to the draft. It all should make for a shake-up of sorts at the top. Stay tuned…

Team of the week…Wisconsin answered the bell by hanging on for a hard fought win over Ohio State on Tuesday and then scratching out a tough on in Evanston on Saturday. The Badgers let some shaky free throw shooting get in the way, but in the end survived the week as the lone unbeaten in the conference.

On the rise…Indiana. The Hoosiers pounded rival Purdue in the mid-week game and then played well at Penn State to pick up a rare Big Ten road win. IU seems to be getting into synch with what Kelvin Sampson wants out of them and it might well keep the Hoosiers in the thick of the Big Ten race all winter.

In need of some “Ws”…Northwestern and Illinois. The Illini got off the schnied with a tough win over Iowa but below an 11-point half time lead in East Lansing, leaving the orange and blue a shaky 1-3 heading into week three of league play. Northwestern was no match for Michigan State and then gave up a golden opportunity to score a tremendous upset against Wisconsin. The teams are 1-7 combined and desperately in need of wins.

Player of the Week…This go around, it’s too tough to argue against BigTen.org’s pick - Kammron Taylor from Wisconsin. Taylor was big for the Badgers in a huge home win over Ohio State and a steadying influence in a nail-biter at Northwestern. He averaged 18.5 points for the week to go along with a bonus 4.5 board per game.

Get Gamm Basketball StandingsAll four players went 9-1 last week, but yours truly was closer on the margin in the OSU-Wisconsin contest. Picks for the eleven games this week are due by tip of Indiana – Iowa on Tuesday. My picks will be up sometime on Tuesday.

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Title Game Tank Job and Basketball Banter… Oh that hurt. Just when I was celebrating like a Buckeye fan with the electrifying Ted Ginn, Jr. TD jaunt off the opening kick off, something happened. Florida showed up to play and Ohio State played like the game was won long ago. Maybe on paper it was, but not on the field.

Many will wonder how much the 51-day layoff hurt the scarlet and gray. Myself included. One thing is for sure, the better team on that night won the game, and how. Florida dominated Ohio State. We all should have seen it coming. No one ever gives the No. 2 squad a chance in hell. In many cases, the No. 2 team beats the heavy favorite.

Must be something about orange and bright blue in that stadium. First Boise State, now Florida. If I had a vote, by the way, BSU gets a co-title with Florida. I don’t care who they played or didn’t play. The boys from Boise are the only undefeated team for the 2006 season.

Back to the game last night, it was actually quite anti-climatic after the kick return. Might have been one of the more boring title games yet. Hat’s off to the Buckeyes on a season that should not be diminished at all by one rotten egg. Same to Florida who became the first to possess the two biggest crowns in college sports at the same time. For golfers, that’s kinda like winning all four majors in a row. An amazing feat.

Well, now that the nearly five month foray into football is over, it is time to focus on the best sport in the land – college basketball. There is a HUGE battle for OSU tonight in Madison and some other intriguing games on the slate as well. Will the basketball Buckeyes suffer a football game watching hangover or make a statement on the road? Home teams have won eight of ten so far, and that doesn’t look to change much this week…

Final Get Gamm Football StandingsWell, since we all picked tOSU to win the National Title game, Buckeye Nation will hold on for the overall win. Congrats Buckeye Nation! You get $25 to spend in the TFS Store (link to the right). Hope it brings up your spirits after that debacle in Glendale! Let me know what you want and email it to me with your addy and I will get it in the mail.

Back to basketball…Team of the week…Ohio State was beastly in the first week of Big Ten play. The Buckeyes had their hands full with Indiana in Columbus, but had their way at Illinois, arguably one of the toughest places to play anywhere in the country. It sets up an early season, attention grabbing tilt with the Badgers.

On the rise…A few teams served some notice in the opening week of play. Michigan won at home and on the road. Not bad considering that home teams were a gaudy 8-2 to kick off conference play. Ohio State is obviously on the rise, but then again, the Bucknuts and Badgers are already at the top. The team that really rose up was Indiana. The Hoosiers battled Ohio State and then dominated Michigan State in Bloomington.In need of some “Ws”…Michigan State and Illinois. Two perennial contenders started off Big Ten play 0-2. MSU’s excuse is a thin roster dented even more due to injury. Not sure Illinois has as solid a reason. Either way, the teams will battle in East Lansing this Sunday to stay out of the cellar.

Player of the Week…It’s tough to argue against BigTen.org’s pick of Penn State guard Danny Morrissey, who shot an unconscious 16-20 for the week and averaged 22.5 points in a 1-1 week for the Nittany Lions. But after watching D.J. White score on an array of moves against a good post defense team in Michigan State and turn it up on defense as well, the star forward from Indiana gets my props this week.

The game of the week tips off tonight in Madison. The two teams that will fight for the Big Ten title go at it early in league play and it should be a classic. Wisconsin is off to its best start since the 1920s. The Badgers have picked off some very talented teams along the way and have the comforts of the Kohl Center at their disposal tonight. Ohio State is also quite battle tested, though OSU hasn’t had quite as much success. The Buckeyes are perhaps one of the few teams in the Big Ten fully equipped to handle the Badgers from 1 to 5. Oden and Tucker may not go head to head, but will be the headliners in this game. This one will go to the Badgers, but solely based on the home court edge. Wisconsin 67 – Ohio State 63.

We get an early taste of one of the best rivalries in the Big Ten this week as well when Purdue heads south to face Indiana. Purdue was stunned in the Big Ten opener at Minnesota but then held off a tough Penn State squad in its home opener. Indiana gave the Buckeyes all they could handle in Columbus and then dismantled Michigan State in Bloomington. Calloway and D.J. White versus Teague and Landry is the underlying story here. The teams are evenly matched, which means it comes down to the home court advantage. Indiana 68 – Purdue 65.

Iowa got a nice opening win and then an off weekend to prepare for a big game at Illinois. The Illini are 0-2 and Iowa will not be a pushover. That said, the Illini are better built to handle the Hawkeyes than they were the Buckeyes and the chances of Illinois losing two in a row at home are slim to none. Illinois 71 – Iowa 62.

It is actually a bit of a surprise that Northwestern is 0-2 at this point, but shockingly, not so surprising that Michigan State is 0-2. Don’t get me wrong, the Spartans are the better team and will be a top half finisher come season’s end, but remember that a thin backcourt is just regaining health. Northwestern lost a tough one at home to a decent Michigan team, but home teams just don’t lose that often in the Big Ten. This is the one and only match-up and though it won’t be easy, it’ll be the win that MSU needs. Michigan State 65 – Northwestern 52.

Indiana at Penn State might be one of the surprisingly good games of the week in conference play. Penn State is an improving team, if not a Cedar Point Roller Coaster in their tendency to win big then lose a puzzler. The Bryce Jordan might be the least scary place to play a road game in the league, but this is a chance for PSU to make a statement. Penn State 73 – Indiana 70.

Ohio State steps out of the conference for what should be a really entertaining, up and down the court type game with the Volunteers. It is a key game for the scarlet and gray in terms of a big outside win to help when the NCAA Selection Committee convenes in early March. Ohio State 85 – Tennessee 80.

In what could be the upset game of the week, Wisconsin travels to Evanston to take on the Wildcats. Northwestern doesn’t scare anyone on paper and scares teams less when you see them in person. Talk about a collection, seemingly, of intramural scrappers longing to be in the spotlight. Still, this is a veteran Wisconsin team and I just don’t see them letting down to the point of a loss, even after a big one against OSU earlier in the week. Wisconsin 64 – Northwestern 58.

Minnesota and Iowa might be the yawner of the week. Iowa is coming along but how Minnesota wins is a mystery. Iowa 71 – Minnesota 57.

Michigan at Purdue is a game to keep an eye on. These are the types of games that often make or break a team that sits on the NCAA bubble come March. A win here would be epic for the Wolverines. But Matt Painter and his Boilermakers will be hungry after a tough one at Indiana. Purdue 69 – Michigan 63.

Who would have thunk it that we could have two 0-3 teams the likes of Michigan State and Illinois getting together for a national game this Sunday? I do expect both to win early in the week, setting this up to be key for positioning. You must hold serve at home to have a chance to contend in the Big Ten, even if the contention is for third or fourth place this go around. Illinois has had the Spartans’ number of late, but the Sunday crowd at the Breslin will be fired up and a State squad that is finally coming together gets a big win. Michigan State 68 - Illinois 64.

Friday, January 05, 2007

Bowl Games, Lies and Basketball Talk...Nope, this isn’t a sports oriented redo of the 1989 Movie “Sex, Lies and Videotape”, rather my observations and maybe a rant or three about the Big Ten’s performance in bowl games to date, the carpet bagging Nick Saban and the onset of the conference basketball season.

A lot has happened since we last spoke, just before the Christmas holiday. Bowl games have been played. Nick Saban played Judas, 2007 style. Bobby Knight broke the record of records in college basketball. Big Ten hoops – conference style – got underway. There is an awful lot to get caught up on, so without further ado…

Bowl Games…Minnesota pulled a Northwestern and gave up the largest second half comeback in bowl history, surrendering a 31-point lead en route to an overtime loss to Texas Tech in the insight bowl. No big deal right? I mean, it was only the Insight Bowl. Not. That loss, it appears, got one of the longer tenured coaches in the Big Ten canned soon afterwards. Merry Christmas Glen Mason. You’re out of a job.

“If we had not lost the way we had lost, we probably wouldn't be here today," athletic director Joel Maturi said at the presser announcing Mason’s ouster. Truth be told, this was just the last straw in a pile of blown leads and a decade that saw Minnesota have success, but never as much as they could have. 3-15 records against arch-rivals like Michigan and Wisconsin didn’t help the cause either.

Hey, Mr. Maturi, I hear John L. Smith is available!

Purdue meanwhile was just flat out getting pushed around the field at about the same time in the Champs Sports Bowl. Maryland dominated every facet of the game leaving Purdue with an 8-6 record. Purdue lost its last two games of the season (at Hawaii and this contest) leaving many to wonder what lies ahead for the gold and black.

Iowa may well have best represented the Big Ten, at least as far as the losing teams go. The Hawkeyes struggled to a 6-7 record this season, including seven losses in the last nine games and four in a row to close the season. But, that aside, Iowa put up a good fight in a game most expected Texas to win by just showing up. The Hawkeyes jumped ahead 14-0 and appeared to go ahead 21-3 when a shaky ineligible man downfield call brought back a score and was then followed up by a game changing interception and subsequent touchdown drive.

The 26-24 loss that left the black and gold with a losing record capped off a miserable ending to what someone I know (me) predicted would be a Rose Bowl season.

Penn State brought home the first “W” for the Big Ten this bowl season, in somewhat surprising fashion. Most, myself included, figured that Tennessee, who was a couple of heartbreaking losses from playing for the SEC Championship, would win rather easily in this game. But as they say, that’s why they play the games. Penn State won with a tremendous defensive effort and solid, ball control on offense. The victory was the 22nd bowl win for Joe Paterno – an NCAA record.

On Wisconsin! The Badgers had a tough one with the Razorbacks but closed out a phenomenal first year for Coach Bret Bielema with a school record 12th win. The funny thing was how Wisconsin won the game. It isn’t surprising that the Badgers played staunch defense, but it is a little eye-opening that it was the aerial attack and not the ground game that produced the offense needed to garner a win. Wisconsin won what was supposed to be a battle between two of the best young tailbacks in the country (P.J. Hill and Darren McFadden) despite a net of minus five yards rushing for the game! Who says you have to be able to run the ball to win?

Just when it was looking brighter for the Big Ten, Michigan took the field in Pasadena. Ouch. Another ugly loss in the Rose Bowl for the maize and blue. The Wolverines never quit in this game and there were several opportunities to do so, but the stubborn game-planning of Coach Carr and his staff was evident again and it cost Michigan another big game loss.

Where was the offense that looked marvelous in Columbus? USC adjusted its game to a pass-first, pass-second, pass-third style and it dizzied the Michigan defense. Why didn’t the Wolverines adjust? That’s been a common question after four straight bowl losses and four losses in five years to rival OSU. Is Lloyd Carr becoming John Cooper? Will 2007 be his last? Stay tuned this summer when the ’07 previews hit the blog.

Lies, bald faced lies…Raise your hand if you are surprised that Nick Saban had a change of heart and took the ‘Bama gig. My hand isn’t up. In fact, it’s on the floor. You see, the sure-fire sign that slick Nick is gonna bolt for greenback, er greener pastures is the series of denials that happen as much as a month before the change of heart. MSU fans know. We went through this almost every year. He didn’t leave for the NFL but finally bolted for LSU after five years of post-season speculation and denial that he was looking.

Thing is, I don’t blame the guy for looking, or even jumping. But dude, don’t lie! Don’t go Judas and deny the rumor three times! You’d think his agent would get him some better prep work for the inevitable questions that arise about available, big time jobs each year. A quite simple response along the lines of “I am focused on my task at hand right now, I’ll field questions about X job after my current season is over” would have been sufficient.

Instead, old Nick built upon the reputation he earned while at Michigan State and really, for the first time, he’s being taken to task for it. Pat Forde of ESPN.com wrote “Saban only lied when his lips were moving.” Legendary Dolphins coach Don Shula called Saban (I’m paraphrasing here) a liar, a fraud and a quitter. ESPN.com’s Ivan Maisel asks “Why would he be happy at Alabama when he has had trouble being happy everywhere he has coached?”

Anyway, what’s done is done. I wish Saban well in Tuscaloosa. He rebuilt Michigan State nicely before leaving and it wasn’t his fault that the school hired Bobby Williams to drive the program into the dirt after he left. Roll Tide.

Basketball talk…I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Bobby Knight’s record breaking 880th win the other day. As a kid who “grew up” in Indiana, I’ve always loved the guy. He’s done it his way, and while some of his methods may have been questionable, there is no arguing his success at graduating players and doing it the right way as far as the NCAA rules and regulations are concerned. My hat’s off to you coach.

Now on to the start of Big Ten play… 5-0. That’s the record of the home team halfway through week one of conference play. Not a real surprise considering that home teams traditionally dominate in league play. Indiana and Michigan State gave the best road efforts to date but for naught as Ohio State and Iowa held serve at home and got the wins in those tilts. Michigan and Penn State had little problems in solid home openers as well. The real shocker was Minnesota’s handling of Purdue. Minnesota is arguably the weakest team in the league and yet overcame myriad turnovers to beat the Boilers in The Barn.

This weekend, the Buckeyes go to Illinois, Michigan State stays on the road (Indiana), Penn State visits Purdue, Minnesota heads to Wisconsin and Michigan travels to Northwestern. Home teams will likely stand at 8-2 or better after the weekend.

Speaking of playing on the road, Tom Izzo might want to have some time alone with his infamous sledge hammer and the Big Ten office’s scheduling software program. His Spartans have started on the road for two games each of the last four seasons. Nothing like digging out of a hole in the first week in January. Couple that with the fact that the Spartans have also been getting teams like Northwestern, Minnesota and Penn State just once a season of late and he really has to wonder what the computers have against him!

Ahead of the game, here is next week’s schedule (picks for Get Gamm are due by Tuesday at 7)

And here are the current Get Gamm Basketball standings, through five games this week. Winners be ready to get me picks ASAP each Monday to make the site for the Tuesday game of the week. Chances are it’ll be Buckeye Nation this week as he sits 5-0 to date.

Get Gamm Football Standings w/ one to play...Well, since we all picked tOSU to win the National Title game, Buckeye Nation will hold on for the overall win. Congrats Buckeye Nation! You get $25 to spend in the TFS Store (link to the right). Let me know what you want and email it to me with your addy and I will get it in the mail.

TheFinalScore

The Final Score blog is my personal podium for Big Ten football and basketball. From previews to predictions, insights & opinions on games, teams, players and coaches, TheFinalScore is your source for Big Ten sports.